Dispensing closures for bottles, cans and other containers frequently have one or more flaps that can be pivoted between open and closed positions to conveniently dispense product from the container without removing the closure. Examples of the general type of closures under consideration here are disclosed in the following U.S. patents, the disclosures of which are incorporated herein by reference: U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,693,399, 4,936,494, 5,330,082 and 6,575,323. The dispensing closures are typically produced by an injection molding process.
There is a continuous demand, however, for dispensing closures that can be produced at low cost with better performance, less mold maintenance, faster cycle, more design flexibility and low capital expenditure.